Bobby pin opener



Nov. 29, 1949 A. D. KING 2,489,579

BOBBY PIN OPENER Filed May 21, 1947 INVEIYTOR. Ailey 0. I009 H], v i

Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application May 21, 1947, Serial No. 749,565

1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to improvements in bobby pin openers.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a device through the use of which the two ends of a bobby pin may be separated easily and without injury to the fingers.

A further object of this invention is to produce a device which is economical to manufacture, simple in construction and one which may be worn upon the person thereby eliminating the necessity of constantly removing and replacing the opener.

A still further object is to produce a device which will eliminate breaking of the fingernails caused by the prying action necessary to open the bobby pins.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my opener showing a bobby pin engaged therewith, and in dotted lines the opening action when the pin is pressed against the ring.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the ring, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ring and showing the manner in which the same is used by a beauty operator.

The bobby pin now in general use consists of a relatively rigid piece of wire bent upon itself so as to form two legs joined by a U-shaped portion, one of the legs being corrugated and both legs lying in very close contact with each other.

The spring of the U-shaped portion and the very close contact with the two legs makes it very diflicult for a beauty operator or anyone using the same to separate the two legs for the purpose of slipping the bobby pin over a strand, coil or curl of hair. It has therefore been necessary for th operator to first pry the two ends of the hobby pin apart with the fingers with the result that the finger tips very quickly become bruised and sore and cause broken fingernails. This makes it exceedingly difficult for the operator to function efficiently inasmuch as it is imperative that the two legs of the bobby pin be separated in order that one of them may be slipped over the curl without disturbing its for mation after which the bobby pin is released and the curl held in fixed position.

I have, therefore, devised an arrangement wherein a ring is positioned on the finger of the operator, the ring having an ofllet into which 56 2 one of the legs of the bobby pin may be inserted and the pin then flexed downwardly against the ring so as to cause a separation of the two legs, after which the finger may be inserted between the legs, thus holding them separated and in a position to be engaged with the curl.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a band of material bent to form a ring-like structure, and in the present instance lapped upon itself, as shown at 6, so that the ring thus formed is adjustable to the size of the wearers finger. This end of the band is a greater width than the rest of the band.

One end of the band is bent upon itself, as shown at I, so as to form a wire engaging retainer, against which and into which may be inserted the leg 8 of a bobby pin, the other leg of which is shown at 9.

When the bobby pin is engaged with the ring as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, then by exerting pressure at the point A the pin will be flexed into the dotted line position of this figure, and consequently as the leg 8 is bent the leg 9 will be separated therefrom so that the finger of the operator may be inserted therebetween, as shown at B in Fig. 3. I

As soon as the two legs have been separated the pin may be disengaged from the ring and inserted within the curl, as shown at C.

Thus, it will be seen that by the simple engagement of the pin with the ring and flexing the same, the entire effort of opening the two legs has been easily accomplished without injury to the fingers.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and. described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a device of the character described, a fingerencircling band having its two ends overlapped, the outer of the ends terminating in an outwardly-projecting half circle, said end being of greater width than the major portion of the band.

ARLEY D. KING.

(References on following page) 3 REFERENCES CITED Number The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date i??? 2,176,052 Beyer Oct. 17. 1939 5771197 2,271,765 Hildebrand Feb. 3, 1942 2,383,207 Morrell Aug. 21, 1945 Name Date Calafiore June 18, 1946 Springer et a1. May 24, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Sept. 14, 1908 France June 12, 1924 

